11/04/2026 3:15 pm
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starting classes in two weeks and honestly looking at laptops is making my head spin. my budget is strictly under 700 bucks since im paying for my own books too. I saw some people online swearing by the M1 MacBook Air because the battery is insane but then I see other threads saying i absolutely need 16gb of ram for virtual machines and docker. but the 16gb macs are way over my budget. then some say just get a used ThinkPad and put Linux on it but which model works for coding without it being a brick? i need something portable for my bus commute in Chicago. is 8gb really enough or am i gonna regret it by junior year?
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11/04/2026 3:40 pm
^ This. Also, unfortunately 8GB is a total trap for CS. I had issues with it crashing during simple Docker builds, it's just not as good as expected for multitasking. You'll definitely regret 8GB by junior year. If the T14 is too heavy for the bus, look for these on sale:
- Acer Swift Go 14 Intel Core i7 16GB RAM
- ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED AMD Ryzen 7 16GB RAM
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 AMD Ryzen 5 16GB RAM
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11/04/2026 4:20 pm
To add to the point above: I have spent years testing different rigs for dev work and 16GB is definitely the baseline I recommend for CS students. If you want something portable for that Chicago commute, take a look at the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED Ryzen 7 7730U 16GB RAM. It is light enough to not break your back on the bus but has enough juice for your IDEs and basic Docker containers. Another option I have seen work well over the years is the HP Pavilion Plus 14 Intel Core i5 16GB RAM. It usually hovers right around that 650 mark when on sale. Compared to the Zenbook, the HP has a more standard build but the screen is sharp for staring at code for hours. I suggest checking Slickdeals or the r/LaptopDeals subreddit regularly. They track 16GB machines in your price range daily. Also, look into using a lightweight window manager like i3 or Sway if you go the Linux route... it saves a ton of memory compared to Windows.
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11/04/2026 3:15 pm
> is 8gb really enough or am i gonna regret it by junior year? Honestly, 8GB is risky for CS. I am very satisfied with my Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 2 AMD Ryzen 5 16GB RAM. It handles Docker and multiple IDEs with no complaints. It's reliable and safe for long-term use. You can find refurbished ones well under your budget. It's a much safer bet than a base MacBook for your needs.
